Never celebrate until the last horse has gone!

For Paul Collier, representing Great Britain at the FEI World Championships is the culmination of years of hard work, travel and experience at the very highest level of the sport.

Paul is groom for Jack Whitaker, who is travelling reserve for the British Show Jumping team at Aachen.

In this interview he reflects on the excitement of being selected, the teamwork behind championship success and what it takes to give a horse and rider the best possible chance when it matters most.

From the importance of careful preparation to the lessons learned throughout a long career, Paul shares an insight into life behind the scenes at a major championship.

Q. How did it feel when you found out you'd been selected to groom at the FEI World Championships?

A. "It was incredibly exciting. Eighteen months ago, we were jumping 1.40–1.45m and the horse has improved so much since then. My rider is heading to their first senior World Championships, and they’ve worked incredibly hard to get here.

But of course, you can’t do this on your own. It takes a whole team – vets, farriers, physios, trainers and the people managing the show programme – and we’re lucky to have a really good team around us.

A huge part of my job is making sure the horses are in the best possible position to perform when it matters. You have to plan the shows carefully, make sure they’re not over-jumped and aim to get the right results at the right time. The hard work you’ve put in over the years really pays off when you get an opportunity like this.

I’ve done the World Games with Michela before, so this will be my third major championship. I took her to Kentucky in 2010, and I’ve done a lot of travelling and different shows since then, always trying to put myself in the best position to be selected."

Q. What’s one thing you packed that you couldn’t do without?

A. "My radio! It goes everywhere with me. You can’t work in silence. I’ve also learned a bit of the local language wherever I go – you need to be able to communicate and get by in every language."

Q. What does wearing the British Equestrian team kit and representing your country as a groom mean to you?

A. "It’s always a huge privilege to represent your own country. I’ve worked for lots of different countries over the years – you go wherever your job takes you – but when it’s GB, you definitely have a little spring in your step.

The biggest thing is that you’re not just a number. You want to be as competitive as possible and you’re there with one goal: to do the very best you can."

Q. What are the unique demands of a show jumping grooms at this level? 

A. My job is to do everything up to the in-gate. From there, it’s out of my control. Once they cross the line, you’re straight back into thinking about what’s next – the second round, the jump-off, whatever comes next.

We’ve had five clears at Hickstead recently, and then another show with 17 clears, so you absolutely cannot sit back. The motivation is always to win.

And you don’t really celebrate until the last horse has gone. Only then do you know the result and can finally relax.

I’m a big believer that you should be proud when your horse has gone as well as it possibly can. Jack is a big, scopey horse, although he’s not necessarily as speedy as some of the smaller horses, so we’ll concentrate on playing to his strengths and giving him the best possible chance."

Q. What message would you give to the next generation of grooms hoping to follow in your footsteps?

A. "Take a little bit of knowledge from everyone and be a sponge. Every day you’re doing this job, you’re learning. Every horse and every person you work with will teach you something. The most important thing is to stay open-minded and always be willing to learn."

Good luck to Paul and all the other amazing grooms at the World Championships!

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